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This is the why – Jahden Nelson, two years on
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This is the why – Jahden Nelson, two years on
- Its been two years since Jahden Nelson’s arms had to be amputated after an electric shock on a scaffolding work site.
- The father of three spent nearly two years in hospital, enduring more than 40 surgeries, kidney failure and multiple skin grafts.
- Nelson’s fiancé, Santana Tierney, said he is now working towards being able to walk without assistance and more interaction with his children.
When Jahden Nelson went to work on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, he had no idea the day would end with him fighting for his life in hospital.
It’s been two years since the former scaffolder suffered a severe high-voltage electric shock after a steel pole he was holding touched low-hanging overhead power lines.
Nelson, who was 28 at the time of the accident, received high-voltage burns over 20% of his body, including an exit wound of the electrical charge through his left foot.
The father of three spent nearly two years in hospital, during which time he was unable to move his lower body, required more than 40 surgeries, endured kidney failure and multiple skin grafts, and had both his arms amputated.
Jahden Nelson was 28 when the accident happened and spent nearly two years in hospital, unable to move his lower body.
SANTANA TIERNEY / SUPPLIEDThe incident resulted in charges being laid by WorkSafe under Section 48 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.
In his victim impact statement read out by his aunt, Nelson told the court that, since the accident, he had been unable to be the active father who could take his children fishing, camping and hunting.
He was no longer able to perform everyday parental activities, like changing nappies, feeding and cuddling his children ‒ “the normal things parents take for granted”.
“I feel like I’m being robbed of my responsibilities of raising our children,” he said.
Nelson, now 30 years old, initially agreed to speak to Stuff but later declined, opting to have his fiancé, Santana Tierney, speak on his behalf.
Tierney said Nelson was still adjusting to his new reality, and was finding it difficult to be in public situations.
Prior to the accident, Nelson liked to spend time with his friends, and took pride in his job as a scaffolder, Tierney said.
Nelson used to enjoy spending time with his friends, and took pride in his job as a scaffolder.
SUPPLIED“He was a lot more social. But now he’s finding it difficult to be in social settings and public spaces. It’s difficult for him to go out,” she said.
“Not having his arms has had a huge impact on him. It’s been very difficult for him to adjust to doing things differently.
“But, his walking is a lot better. It’s not where he wants it to be, but he is able to get around our home without his wheelchair, by using a frame to support him.”
Regaining the ability to walk is one of Nelson’s goals, as well as interacting more with his children, who are now 5, 4 and 2 years old.
“He definitely wants to be able to help with the kids. I get very overwhelmed, essentially doing everything,” Tierney said.
The loss of both arms had a huge impact on Nelson and he is now adjusting to doing things differently.
SANTANA TIERNEY / SUPPLIEDTierney said their children understood “in their own way” what had happened to their dad, and their daughter often expressed how she was feeling about the new dynamic.
“There’ll be times, as you’d expect, where they feel sad that ‘Dad wasn’t able to do this’ and ‘Dad can’t do this with me or come here,’” she said.
“It’s difficult. I know it takes a lot out of Jahden to hear that but I think the kids will all grow to be very accepting of it. They’re quite resilient.”
They were now in the process of trying to modify their home, to make things more accessible for Nelson, making it easier to spend time with his children.
“The injuries he sustained have made it very difficult for him to walk,” she said.
“We’ve proposed a few things added into the bathroom, like a different shower head and small fixtures around the home to accommodate Jahden.”
Nelson’s fiancé, Santana Tierney, with their children aged 5, 4 and 2 years old.
SANTANA TIERNEY / STUFFOther proposed changes to their rental home included changing all the flooring to make it easier for walking frame use.
Since the accident, Tierney had taken on the role of Nelson’s full-time caregiver.
When asked how she was managing to juggle her caregiver role while taking on most of the parental responsibilities, Tierney said it was a struggle.
“It’s very hard for me to come to terms that I’m unable to be the mother that I was prior to the accident, with organising all the ACC stuff, as well as appointments and assessments. It’s very difficult. It’s quite overwhelming,” she said.
“Looking into the future, I just worry about how we would manage the kids if we came to a situation where I did need to go into work to financially support us.
“I worry about how stressful that’s going to be, having to manage everything and be able to support us in that way.”
– Stuff
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